National Day Of Prayer Participants Call For Wisdom and Unity

The 61st annual National Day of Prayer saw participants focus on emphasizing their belief that the United States of America is a nation founded under God, and pray that President Barack Obama and other political leaders would use wisdom in their roles.

Shirley Dobson, chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, led the celebrations in Washington, D.C. Her husband, James Dobson, an evangelical Christian author and founder of Focus on the Family (FOTF), was absent from celebrations for the first time in over 20 years due to illness.

Dobson said during her remarks that the tradition of prayer is a “legacy handed down from our founding fathers.” The United States is a faithful, praying nation, she added, pointing to results of a recent Pew study that said 96 percent of Americans believe in God, and that over 60 percent pray.

Over a dozen speakers, mostly evangelical Christians, religious leaders, as well as members of the judiciary, service members and diplomats, prayed for the unity of the nation in light of its economic challanges and for the government — with special emphasis given to the office of the president — to be able to make wise decisions.